Mudzulatshidulo a ?honifheaho, Vho Minisi?a vha ?honifheaho na Mufarisi wavho, vhahulisei vha ino Nn?u, vhashumeli vha muvhuso na vho thetshelesaho hanengei mahayani, ndi matsheloni. (Translation of Tshiven?a paragraph follows.)
[Ms L MABIJA: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister and your Deputy, hon members of this House, government employees and those listening at home, good morning.]
I believe we are all aware that there is a war outside there. Instead of buses and taxis working together as part of integrated systems in our towns and cities, we have minibus taxi organisations fighting one another for passengers. This leads to minibus taxis competing with buses and trains on long-distance routes.
Musi hezwi zwithu zwi tshi itea, zwi dzhia na matshilo a vhanwe vha vhadzulapo vha fhano Afurika Tshipembe. [When these things happen, they take the lives of South African citizens.]
Therefore, there is a need for intervention in our transport system.
Ndo takala ndi tshi pfa Minisi?a Vho Sbu vha tshi ri ?an?avhudzela nga n?ila ine vhone sa murangaphan?a vha vhilaela ngayo uri zwithu zwi tshimbile zwavhu?i. Vha dovha hafhu vha ri sumbedzisa zwiimiswa zwo fhambanaho zwine zwa khou shumana na uri mafhungo haya a zwa vhuendi a tshimbile nga n?ila ine ya vhuedza vhadzulapo.
Zwino ndi ?o dadamala kha fhungo ?a Bus Rapid Transport System, ine nga kuvhonele kwanga ya vha yone i re ngonani ... (Translation of Tshiven?a paragraphs follows.)
[I was happy when I heard Minister Sbu giving us details of how he, as the leader, is worried that things should go smoothly. He further shows us various institutions which are involved in ensuring that issues of transport should benefit the citizens.
Now I shall deal with the issue of the bus rapid transport system, which in my view is the one that is appropriate ...]
... because this system is based on creating a positive climate for the formalisation of transportation of the people. Therefore, it will enhance positive conditions for economic empowerment for the poorest of the poor, both in urban and rural areas.
We need to specifically look at the fact that it will provide better services in order for public transport to gain respect for law, create decent working conditions for all and instil a sense of pride and fair representation in public transport. This will change the face of the public transport system. It will be appropriate to highlight that it will upgrade quality and performance levels of transport systems. In doing so, our transport system will be capable of becoming a labour-absorbing sector that leads to the development of sustainable local economic growth.
This will speak to the ANC policies that emphasise the main mandate of the department which is to ensure that it leads to a massive public investment programme for growth and employment that will accelerate and expand its investment in public infrastructure, including expanding improved networks in public transport.
This will create opportunities, whilst at the same time meeting the basic needs of our society. The state of the nation address confirms that the main principle of all government departments must be based on fighting poverty in order to build better lives for all.
So, we must recall that the fight against poverty remains the cornerstone of our government focus. As long as there are people who don't have access to transport, we need to work together in driving development programmes with various municipalities to speed up economic growth and transform the economy to create decent work and sustainable livelihoods. We need a transport system that will have the responsibility to facilitate transformation of our cities and rural areas in order to build caring communities with closer access to work and social amenities.
The ANC articulates clearly that public transport is the main mechanism or a major instrument benefiting broad sectors of our societies, especially workers, the youth, women and people with disabilities because it actively promotes skills development. That is why we need an integrated transport system that can use a bottom-up approach. Hopefully, it will be sustainable for development. It will be appropriate to give a full explanation as to why we don't see the taxi system as relevant in our societies these days. One can say taxi drivers are forced to speed, overload, work long hours and overwork their vehicles, resulting in high accident rates; whilst the bus rapid transport system is fast and capable of carrying loads of people, and at the same time it is also cheap for our people.
Therefore, it creates a user-friendly environment in our communities. This will enhance the co-ordination of transport projects in relation to the 2010 Soccer World Cup. On the other hand, it will develop practices and norms that will increase access to appropriate and quality public transport to meet the socioeconomic status of both rural and urban communities.
In conclusion, it must be reflected that many of the achievements in the past nine years, where we commenced building 1,4 million houses that are in the same dormitory townships, have compounded our transport challenges. There is a need to adhere to a philosophy that is based on key principles of equity in order to promote broader social responsibility, and a need to serve the interests of the majority of passengers rather than those of private vehicles.
In fact, there is a need to politicise the terrain of transport such that the needs of the majority of users, notably poor and marginalised South Africans, are prioritised. The significance of improving the passenger and transport system as a contributor to economic competitiveness needs to be emphasised. Public transport, in particular, is grossly underresourced in relation to other sectors and in terms of national output and budgetary revenue streams.
Nga enea maipfi ma?uku ndi na fulufhelo ?ihulu ?a uri muhulisei Vho Sbu vha khou ?o shumisa mugaganyagwama wavho nga n?ila ine ra sala ri tshi khou zwi vhona zwauri khaedu dzo?he dzine ra vha nadzo dzi a fhungudzea, u itela uri ro?he ri kone u wana vhutshilo ha khwi?e. Zwine nda fulufhela khazwo ndi zwauri ri ro?he ri ?o ita zwauri hu vhonale tshanduko, zwi vhonale zwauri muvhuso wo rangiwaho phan?a nga ANC u na bono na mbonelaphan?a. Ndi a livhuwa. [U vhanda zwan?a.] (Translation of Tshivenda paragraph follows.)
[With these few words I have great hope that hon Sbu is going to spend his budget in a way that will make us see all the challenges we have are lessened, so that all of us can have a better life. What I believe in is that, together, we will bring about developments, so that it can be seen that the ANC-led government has vision and foresight. I thank you. [Applause.]]